Electronic equipment, such as personal computers, for example, are normally enclosed in equipment cabinets. Because the electronic components in such cabinets generate heat, to prevent overheating of the electronic components, arrangements are provided for removing the heat generated by such electronic components in the electronic equipment cabinets. Openings are commonly provided in the electronic equipment cabinets to allow the flow of air through the cabinets so as to remove the heat generated by the electronic components. A air moving device, such as a cooling fan, may be provided to increase the flow of air through the electronic equipment cabinets.
Due to the increased complexity and improved performance of various electronic components, such as the microprocessors included in personal computers, for example, the cooling arrangement for cooling the electronic equipment cabinets is often insufficient to remove the greater amounts of heat generated by such electronic components.
In view of the above, various techniques have been used to increase the flow of air around the electronic components which generate a greater amount of heat, to remove such greater amounts of generated heat. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,398 to Bailey, U.S. Pat. No. 5, 566,377 to Lee, U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,485 to Marquis et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,231 to Bodin, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,090 to Johnson et al. each disclose arrangements to increase the flow of air around microprocessors, for example, to remove the greater amount of heat generated by such microprocessors. Air ducts and/or auxiliary cooling fans are used to remove the greater amount of heat generated by such microprocessors.
However, the above-noted arrangements must be custom-made for each particular application. That is, a computer manufacturer, for example, may manufacture several different models of personal computers, each having different motherboards. Each different motherboard may have its microprocessor requiring additional cooling mounted at a different location. Accordingly, it is necessary for the computer manufacturer to custom make such air duct/auxiliary cooling fan arrangements for each personal computer model. This results in higher design costs, manufacturing costs, and inventory costs in comparison utilizing a single air duct/auxiliary cooling fan arrangement design for all of the personal computer models.
In one aspect of the invention, an adjustable air guide includes first and second hollow elements, at least first and second rigid hollow adjustable pipes, at least first and second hollow elbows, all interconnected together in that order, and an air moving device, to provide an increased flow of air to a heat generating element located in an enclosure.
In another aspect of the invention, the at least first and second rigid hollow adjustable pipes are partially coextensive with and adjustably telescope with the elements adjacent thereto to vary their effective length within a predetermined range.
In still another aspect of the invention, the at least first and second rigid hollow adjustable pipes and the elements adjacent thereto are arranged so as to rotate with respect to one another.
Lastly, in another aspect of the invention, the elements of the adjustable air guide are fixedly attached to one another after assembly thereof so as to prevent movement therebetween.